New Bentley SUV expected to fetch 25,000 sales in its lifecycle

Bentley CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer said that its annual sales are expected to double by 2017 due to several factors, including its expansion into new markets, the U.S. economy’s recovery, and the rising number of wealthy consumers in China. In an interview with Automotive News Europe, Duerheimer said that it’s likely that China will outdo America this year and become Bentley's biggest sales region.

Duerheimer added that Bentley’s sales in China nearly doubled to 1,839 vehicles in 2011. This sales boost resulted to China being recognized as Bentley’s second-largest single market.

He believes that sales in China will continue to grow to take the top spot this year. The improving economy in the U.S. is also contributing to an increase in sales. Bentley’s U.S. sales climbed 32% to 2,021 vehicles in 2011.

Duerheimer said that Bentley seeks to achieve yearly sales of 15,000 within five years, an increase from 7,003 units sold last year. The highest-ever annual sales figure that Bentley achieved was in 2007 with 10,014 units sold, says Autonews. He said that the growth for 2012 is predicted to be in the double-digits, particularly an increase of over 10% in China and the U.S. in 2012.

Duerheimer, who previously acted as the r&d boss at Porsche, was named Bentley CEO a year ago. He is the successor of Franz-Josef Paefgen who retired. Duerheimer said that Bentley, which is based in Crewe, England, is predicted to raise its sales in mainland Europe and in growing markets like Russia. He said that in 2011, Bentley sold 1,187 units in continental Europe, accounting for about 17% of its sales. He pointed out that with 1,031 vehicles sold in the UK, it means that it sold nearly as many Bentleys in the UK as in mainland Europe.

As it is, the new Bentley Bentayga is an embodiment of unmatched luxury, superior performance and everyday yet exclusive usability. It boasts of a sculptural and elegant design perfectly executed to properly convey athletic yet confident performance on the road – all conveying that the new Bentayga is a real Bentley. This is apparent through its characteristic power line and muscular haunches, four round LED headlamps and large matrix grille.

Just behind this grille is the core of the new Bentley Bentayga – a new twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine that is designed and developed to deliver around 608 PS (600 bhp / 447kW) of max output and 900 Nm (663 lb. ft) of peak torque, allowing the SUV to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds (or 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds) and achieve a top speed of 187 mph (301 km/h).

This virtually makes the new Bentley Bentayga as the most powerful and fastest SUV in the world. However, the Bentley Bentayga could be the most luxurious and more refined SUV in terms of the interior. It boasts of highly precise detailing in metal, wood and leather as well as accurate tolerances between trim elements – conveying a whole new degree of impeccability attainable only through the exceptional craftsmanship and skill of its workers.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors, quipped that the Bentayga is the Bentley of SUVs as it redefines luxury in this segment while offering a genuine Bentley experience. These are all achieved by combining go-anywhere capability and unmatched attention to detail, as well as state-of-the-art technology.